Disclaimer: Go bother Joss and Mutant Enemy!

Yes, yes, to answer the question of my loyal readers and commenters- YES, I am going to make this a series, just for you. Be happy, you convinced me that I should.

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He sat in Wash's old chair, alone on the bridge, frustrated as Hell. He slammed his hand down on the console, his mind made up. He would have to go talk to her, much as he dreaded it, it was inevitable. Better he initiated the contact rather than have her come crashing down on him unawares.

He had been avoiding her since the incident at breakfast, and he realized he couldn't put it off any longer. He had to say his piece, get this load off his chest.

It was late, everyone had gone to sleep hours ago, but he knew she wasn't sleeping. He knew she was sitting in her bed, awake and fuming.

Silently, he moved through the ship, like a ghost. He stood outside the door for some time, then when he could stand it no longer, he entered her shuttle.

He had been right, she was awake, but she wasn't fuming. It was obvious that two seconds before he had come in, she had been crying.

"I don't remember giving you permission to come into my shuttle." she said, managing to keep her voice steady, "Nor am I in any mood to chat. Besides, shouldn't you be off molesting little children?"

"I wasn't lying when I said I hadn't touched her." he replied.

"Right, when you said that she slept in your bed, you meant just that?" she gave a derisive snort of laughter, "Like I'm going to believe that."

"On'y thing that went on was talkin' and sleepin'." he defended.

"I'm sure that when I tell Simon, he'll see it that way." she looked up at him, a sneering look on her face.

"You're not gonna tell Simon." Mal said quietly.

"Oh, really?" she asked, her voice dripping with venom.

"Really. Wanna know why?" he asked, but didn't wait for an answer, "It ain't your place. You don't have that right. Also, there ain't nothin' to tell."

"Whatever you say, captain. I wouldn't dare disobey a direct order from a captain! I always do what I'm-" but he cut her off.

"Damnit, 'Nara!" he shouted, then lowered his voice so as not to wake the entire ship, "If you wanted me so ruttin' bad, then why the Hell did you leave?"

Inara was shocked into silence for a moment, when she found her voice, it was quiet, "Why didn't you ask me not to?" she asked, looking down.

He didn't respond for a while, "I tried to tell you. Not just then, other times too, but you wouldn't hear none of it. If you wanted me to ask you not to, why wouldn't you let me?"

Her voice wavered, "I... I was afraid... Afraid that I..." she stopped and looked back up at him, "Really, Mal, you didn't fool around with River?" she asked.

"No." he said, looking away. "There was a kiss... tha's all."

She sighed in relief. "I... I'm sorry. For yelling, and... for jumping to conclusions." she said.

He was astounded that she had apologized. "Well... apology accepted." he said, unable to think of anything else to say.

She stood, walking over to him. Placing her hand on his arm, she said, "And... I'm sorry for leaving too."

He looked down at her hand and then into her hopeful eyes. "I'm sorry I let you leave. But it don't change things." he said, and her eyes darkened slightly, "I said I didn't fool around with her, never said I didn't feel for her." He moved out from under her touch and toward the door of the shuttle.

"Mal..." Inara said, her voice full of despair.

He turned his head to look back at her, "Inara, I gave you a chance and plenty of openings to make good on it. All you had to do was say the word and I was yours. But there's only so much a man can take, and you pushed me well past that point. It was a slap in the face when you left, and it brought me to my senses. I'm not sure I can be with River, but she's willing to take a chance. Love is a leap, Inara, and you have to jump without takin' time to look." With that, he calmly walked out of her shuttle without looking back.

He felt relief and sadness as he walked through the ship and descended the ladder into his room.

A soft voice from behind him startled him as he unbuttoned his shirt. "You know, there's always a chance of falling when you leap without looking."

He spun around, his eyes barely making out the silhouette of River on his bed, "What'd I tell you about sneakin'?" he asked lightly, though his heart still felt heavy.

She smiled, but refused to get off subject. "Are you sure you want to leap if you might fall?"

He sat down next to her on the bed, his shirt half unbuttoned. Taking one of her small hands into his two larger ones, he replied with, "Darlin', it's better to leap and fall than never to leap at all, because there's always that off chance that you will fly instead."